papermaking

learn to make pulp and turn it into custom paper

Sep 24, 2006

Have you seen the beautiful handmade paper that is on the market. It is not difficult to create your own and customize it for someone special.

Making paper is one of those projects that is not difficult but I tend to make a lot all at one setting because it is quite a process. Don't let that intimidate you. It isn't hard and the results are always worth it.

The amount of newspaper depends on how much paper you plan to make. The best way to gauge is trial and error. Using at least a couple of complete newspapers, remove any glossy inserts and tear remaining newspaper into 1-2" pieces. There is nothing precise about this part. It is a great job to give the kids to do. When all of the paper is torn, put it in the 5 gallon bucket and add water so that all of the paper is immersed and there are a couple inches below the floating paper. Add about a ½ cup of bleach and stir. The wet pulp will spoil over time. The bleach slows that down and helps whiten the pulp. (Once dry, the pulp will not spoil.) Let this sit for at least a few hours for the paper to absorb water.

Now put about a 1 cup of water in the blender and add to it about a cup of wet paper. Cover and blend gradually getting on a higher speed. When it is completely turned to pulp with no large pieces, dump the contents in the Rubbermaid tub. Add more water if needed and continue to repeat the process until all of the paper has been returned to pulp.

Add water so that you have the consistency of a brothy soup. Dip your screen into the tub letting the pulp water rise over top. Slowly lift the screen up and out of the tub. It should look like a light film on the screen. When dry this will actually be a piece of paper. You can make them thick or thin, small or large. Continue dipping for as many screens as you have available. Allow the pulp to thoroughly dry on the screen. Make sure they are in a dry location. You can place them out in the sun to dry. When dry, carefully peel the new paper off of the screen. The screen is now ready to redip.

Continue until all of the pulp is used up. Do not keep more than two days as spoiled paper has a very strong nasty odor.

I mentioned threads and dyes above as optional. You can actually use all sorts of things. I have used different foods even. You just have to watch which dry leaving a texture or aroma and which go bad. Try all different things. Try laying colored threads across the screen before dipping it. Try adding food coloring in small amounts to the wet pulp on the screen. Add onion peal for a different texture, or colored bits of paper that will bleed while drying. You can even put sparkles or pieces of flowers in the pulp water. Experimenting is half the fun.

Once they are all dry you are ready to start your next projects. Keep watching in the next several weeks we will not only make our own cards with the paper, we will make a lamp. Above all else, enjoy.

The copyright of the article papermaking in Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts is owned by Mary Welling-Bonney. Permission to republish papermaking in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.